Switch



J. H. BENYA Nov. 6, 1934.

SWITCH Filed June 26, 1933 IN VENTOR. Ja/z fz fly 62 &M a&

ATTORNEYJ;

Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT *OFFICE SWITCH John H. Benya, Lakewood, Ohio Application June 26, 1933, Serial No. 677,607 8 Claims. (Cl. 200 81) This invention relates to a switch particularly Referring now to the particular switch shown adapted for use in display devices of the type in in Figs. 1 and 2, a tube 21 preferably of insulating adapted to be used. i wood, hard rubber, phenolic condensation product, Asin my earlier application, the switch contemor the like, somewhat shorter than the tube and plates the use of a body of mercury for making of somewhat less diameter, stands upright in the difference in air pressure to actuate the switch. bottom. The depth of the mercury is less than the '(0 To the accomplishment of the foregoing and redistance from the bottom of the tube up to the lated ends, said invention, then, consists of the contact 24. means hereinafter ully described and particularly In operation, when the movement of the tape pointed out in the claims. 17 brings a perforation 18 into registry with the The annexed drawing and the following detop of the tube, the air pressure is thus admitted 75 chanical forms in which the principle of the inpool of the mercury 26 and raising the edges of vention may be used.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a view 24, thus closing the circuit and lighting the lamp partly in vertical section and partly in elevation L, As the tape 17 moves on it again covers the Of a preferred form Of y p v w h; i top of the tube 21, but the air pressure thus held 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 Fig. 1; in the tube escapes through the clearance space 3 s a W o esp nd ng t F'g. 2 but show- 26' between the float and the tube and reaches ing a modified form; g: 4 i a Ve i al Cent al the atmosphere through the openings 22. Thus section through a further modification; and Fig. the pressure relieves itself and the float 25 riss,

5 iS a horizontal Section On the line permitting the mercury to fall, breaking the cir- A detailed setting suitable for the various cuit and extinguishing the light L.

35 W che S sh w in 1 of my app cat n Se ia The form illustrated in Fig. 3 is constructed 497,426. 1 Of the present pp i ssimilarly to that of Fig. l. Here the-tube is destrates a p t n o the tuatin apparatus which ignated as 31.' The fioat 25 is the same as shown s s wn more completely in Fig. 1 of my applicain Fig. 1 and clears the sides of the tube. The tion Serial N 4 ,4 6. Th s apparatus comprises tube is vented as at 32, correspondng to the vents 40 a wall 11 defining a pressure chamber 15. Across 22 An offset enlargement 31A at the bottom of the bottom 16 of the chamber a tape 17 perforated th tub d fi on one side by a u 3113 epas at 8 d held Cl to the bottom board by arates the mercury into two pools 36 and 36', cross bars 19 is movable. This is substantially a mutually insulated by the Wall 31B. A conduct r Som Wha enlarged detail from 1 Of Serial 33 leads into the principal pool 36 and another &5 No. *197,426. conductor 34 leads into the side pool 36'. The

Any one o the i s v forms of switch here- 'wall 3113 is slightly higher than the depth of the in hOW ay be Substtuted Or the h p d poo136. When an air current is admitted to the switches 14 of Serial No. 497.426. The circuit to top of the tube 31, it strikes the oat 25, which an ind v du l p iS ShOWIl c Switch'. the sinks sufficiently to raise the mercury 36 to over- 50 source of p w being indicaled by the reference flow the wall 31B, thus establishing electrical concharacter 12, as in Serial No. 497,426, while the t t bet en th t o pools of mercury and lightlamp which the switch controls is indicated by ing the lamp L the letter L, it bein unde stood that the lamp L In Fig. 4 the tube 41 and its fioat 45 are square will ordinarily be one of a large number in a disin cross section to prevent turning of the float.

5 play, all taking power from the same source. The fioat fits loosely within the tube in the same na of said liquid to manner as the float 25. and the tube 41 is similarly side vented at 42. Two pools of mercu'y 46 and 46'. to which conductors 43 and 44 are respectivelv connected, are in the bottom, separated insulating division wall 413. Although the level of the pool 46 is above that of the pool 46', the division wall is high enough so that when the float 45 is moved down by the impulse of the enter-ing current does not overfiow. The flo grooved at the bottom as shown at 47, to overlie 'the wall 4113. The bottom of the float carries a conducting element 48 arching over the groove 47 and having projecting points, one of which, 49, is always immersed in the larger o! mercury 46. The other point, 50, enters the smaller pool when the float 45 is depressed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides a tube construction which maintains all the advantages of a mercury switch operable by diflerences in air pressure which cause a pufl of air or a current of air to strike the upper end of the fioat but with a simpler tube construction than shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 491426. Furthermore, the

gether on very compact control board even where the display consists of several hundred or even thousands of individual lamps. I

Other modes of applying the principle of my be employed instead o! the one being made as regards the herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I thereiore articularly point out and distinctly 'claim as my invention:

1. A switch comprisinga tube, a liquid conductor in the bottom thereoi, a float on said conductor, tor applying an impulse oi air to one end of said float, 'thereby causing said float to lower in the liquid and so raise the level close a circuit.

a tube, liquid conduct thereot, a float nttine 2. A switch comprising ing means in the bottom 'level ot the mercury loosely in said tube tor, means tor applyins one end of said hoat,.- thereby to lower in the liquid`^-and so said liquid to close a circuit.

3. A switch comprising a tube havin a body of mercury in the bottom, an element hosting thereon, and pneumatio impulse means tor lowering said hosting element in the mercury to complete an electric circuit i e 4. A 'switchcomprising a tube having a mercury contact in the bottom and an element nostand resting on said conduccausing said hoat raise the level ot snimpulseoisirto ing thereon and pneumatic impulse'means tor e in the mercury to raise the to complete an electrlc cirlowering said float cuit. p

5. A switch comprising a tube, contact points at diflerent levels in the lower part o! said tube, conducting liquid in the lower part ot the tube below at least one of said contact points. a float testing 'on said liquid, pneumatic impulse means for increasing the downward pressure on said float to change the level of part o! said liquid to make contact. between said points.

6. A switch 'comprising a tube, a liquid conductor in 'the bottom of said tube adapted to.

form part o! an electrical circuit, a float supported thereby, means tor appyi s en impulse of moving air to said float to lower it and thereby move said liquid conductor mechanically to complete said electrlcal circuit. '1. A switch comprlsing a tube, two bodies ot liquid conductor in the bottom o! said tube, a float supported by one o! said bodies, means !or applvi air movement to said floa't to lower it and thereby raise the liquid level to bring 'said bodies into mechanical and electrical contact. 8. A switch comprising a tube. two bodies of liquid conductor in the bottom oi said tube, a hoat supported by one of said bodies, means tor applying a current ot air to said float to lower it and thereby raise the level ot one of said bodies to bring said bodies into mechanical and electrica contact, and means permitting the escape of said air.

- JOHN E. BENYA. 

